Vault Thirteen
by Master Maze
Summary: Mathew Kane is young man with a knack for machines.  When the world is at its end, he and several other humans are locked underground and frozen to preserve the species.  When he awakens, however, he finds that things have gone terribly wrong.
1. Chapter 1: Vault Thirteen

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony. This will be the only disclaimer for it, as I do not feel repeating myself every chapter is necessary since it is assumed that people will be reading this chapter first. Mathew Kane and Collin Reeves are my original characters. By Original, I mean I'm making stuff up as I go. If they end up resembling someone else's work a bit too closely, let me know as it is not my intention to do so. Vault Thirteen is inspired by Fallout. No ponies were hurt during the creation of this story. This fanfiction contains zero calories. Prolonged exposure to My Little Pony fanfictions may cause severe, sometimes fatal cases of bronyism. And for crying out loud, it's ALL MAKE BELIEVE.

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><p>Chapter One: Vault Thirteen<p>

_They hung there in the sky, looming over the land ominously, brilliant tails stretching across the horizon for all to see. In better circumstances the sight would be beautiful, breathtaking even, but in this situation, there was only one emotion that could be felt from all who laid eyes upon it._

_Gut-wrenching fear._

_They were simply known as the Twin Doomsday Comets. After years of watching the skies, an earthbound comet large enough to cause mass extinction had been discovered in the year 2033. It was predicted to hit the Earth a mere three years from then. At first, the news was kept quiet and only known among world leaders and scientists. When an amateur stargazer found it, however, it broke out into the news, and widespread panic ensued._

_Much arguing was done over what to do about it. At first, there was talk about sending a nuclear warhead to destroy it. That idea was quickly thrown out, however, as it became apparent that even with our largest nukes we still had no way of destroying it. Other ideas were pitched about deflecting it, aiming high-intensity lasers at it and trying to use the heat generated to alter its course just enough for it to miss the earth. The idea had some merit, and a group of scientists set forth to put the project together._

_Years of research was conducted in a matter of months, funded by countries all over the world. Teams of laborers were contracted to construct the device, wars put on hold and soldiers directed to the building site to assist in any way possible. It was our crowning moment, the first time in history that the entire world shoved aside all of its differences and hatred, banding together as one to survive the oncoming threat. In a mere six months, the device was constructed, christened as the Celestial Cannon, and the plan was put into action._

_Unfortunately for us, fate had other plans._

_Nobody had seen it coming, another object hot on its trails, hidden within the shadow of its brilliant tail. It was the second comet, only slightly smaller in mass, still just as capable of ending our world. When we used the laser, we managed to alter the first one just enough to pass by us. The process had taken a year and a half to complete, but when it moved, the world caught its first real glimpse of its fate. _

_A plan was immediately set in action to alter its course, but the calculations were off. By the time we realized what was happening, it was far too late. The second one, which would've missed us had we done nothing, had been pulled into a collision course with Earth. And there was nothing we could do about it._

_That was one year ago. Today is the last day on that timer. Come tomorrow, our world ends. Come tomorrow, doomsday begins._

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><p>I looked up at the sky, suppressing the urge to shudder as I gazed at the twin comets. It felt strange looking at them like this. They were downright breathtaking, beautiful beyond anything I'd ever seen before. It was as if Death itself had put on its finest for the occasion. Sighing heavily, I returned my gaze to the scene in front of me.<p>

I was waiting in line, holding an I.D. card and a duffle bag. The line was short, laughably short. Thirteen people including myself. Why such an odd number, I had no idea, but out of the billions that lived on this planet, out of the hundreds that sat just outside, only a handful would have a chance at survival. And I was one of them.

Behind me, a full scale riot was in progress. Cries for help echoed through the chaos, people pleading for their lives, fighting to try to get into our line. Someone had set fire to one of the trash bins just outside the gates, and every once and a while a shot ring out. I cringed every time it happened. It was ironic in a terrible way. The guards that had once protected the people were now firing upon them. Perhaps that in its own way was a form of protection. Had these people actually made it through the gates, I doubt anyone would make it out alive. That said, I didn't have to like it. Not one bit.

I couldn't help but feel a stab of shame. When I'd received the letter with my card and instructions, the relief I felt was overwhelming. I was so damn happy to find out that I was going to survive this mess, I remember cracking out a beer and celebrating. In the weeks leading up to today, however, I began to seriously wonder why they had chosen me above others. I was an engineer, one with a fair amount of ability, but surely they had someone better suited to the job than me. That said, I couldn't bring myself to refuse. I wanted to live, just like anyone else, and if they thought I could ensure the continued existence of the human race, I wasn't going to argue with them.

"It sounds like things are getting pretty heated out there." said one of the men next to me, an elder, greying gentleman dressed in a business suit. "Can't say I really blame them. If I were in their shoes, and thirty years younger, I'd probably be right there with them."

"I'm surprised they haven't broken through that gate yet." I replied, looking back as another shot rang out in the air. "In fact, I'm beginning to wonder why the guards aren't joining them. Don't they know what's going to happen to them?"

"They know exactly what's going to happen." replied the old man, a sad smile on his face. "They aren't here because they were hoping to hitch a ride with us. They came here to ensure humanity survives. A good friend of mine made sure to interview every single one of them. Said these are the most trustworthy and dutiful soldiers he'd ever had the privilege of knowing."

I quirked an eyebrow at this. Clearly the man was someone important.

Sensing the question, the old man laughed, offering out his hand.

"The name is Collin Reeves, head of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Apparently I've made a name for myself in orchestrating the global cooperation in the construction of the Celestial cannon. Normally I'd refuse such an offer, but my wife and daughter managed to convince me to take it up. "Someone needs to keep everyone from killing each other when they wake up" they said. So here I am."

I nodded silently, shaking the man's hand. He looked up into the sky, finding the same sight I was just moments ago looking at, a look of deep contemplation on his face. I let him have his moment, unsure of what to say to the hidden implication. He was leaving his family to their fate, something that probably bothered him greatly. I couldn't really relate seeing as I had no surviving family members, but I could certainly respect it.

After a few minutes of silence, he shook himself from his thoughts, offering me a smile.

"So, what's your story kid? The fact that you have one of those cards means that you're someone important. What do you do?"

I scoffed, looking back at the I.D.

"To be honest, I'm really not sure why they gave me one. I'm an engineer, I tinker around with gadgets. I'm pretty decent at what I do, but it's not like I'm something important like a leader or something."

Collin quirked an eyebrow at me.

"That's pretty damn useful if you ask me. Politicians aren't the only thing we're going to need when we wake up. When we come to, we're going to need someone with a good grasp of machines. Not like there's going to be much of it left in the world when we get back."

I merely nodded.

"By the way, what's your name kid?"

"Mathew Kane."

Collin's jaw dropped.

"THE Mathew Kane? You're the one who designed the schematics for the Celestial Canon! Those plans were years beyond our technology!"

"Err… yeah, that's me." I muttered, shifting uncomfortably. I never have been all that great at taking compliments.

"I thought you'd be older. What are you 20?"

"22."

"Kid, you've got a bright future ahead of you." mused Collin, smirking.

"That's if we really survive this." I muttered, glancing nervously at the giant metal gate in front of me. Collin merely laughed, looking back up at the numbers painted on the giant gate.

"Let me guess, you're the superstitious type?" he joked.

"Not normally, but when my survival depends on it, I get a bit nervous when I see things like this." I replied.

"Haha. Well personally, I find that this little number has brought me more luck than any other." replied Collin. Turning towards me, he made a dramatic gesture.

"Allow me to officially welcome you to Vault Thirteen."

* * *

><p>The inside of the vault was pretty comfortable looking. I was surprised to notice that it was well furnished, almost to a point of luxury. I scoffed at the idea, not really comfortable with the thought of being in such a nice place when things above ground were about to take a dire turn for the worst.<p>

"Not a big fan of fancy living, huh?" mused Collin, as he took a seat on one of the armchairs. "Neither am I. Don't get used to seeing this stuff. Most of these furnishings are going to deteriorate before we even come to. I told those idiots back in congress to give us something more durable to the effects of time, but they didn't want to hear it. Couldn't have people of importance bruising their asses on metal chairs."

I smirked at the comment. I was beginning to really like this old man. The two of us laughed as the rest of the group took their seats, a few of them giving us odd glances. Lazily, I looked at the people in the room. Most of them were well dressed, making me shift uncomfortably in my raggy street clothes. One man looked like some politician that I'd seen in the news, a governor if I remembered correctly. Another lady, dressed in business attire, looked like she'd never once seen a day of work, and one particular man looked like he probably knew over a hundred ways to kill a man.

I muttered inwardly to myself, shaking my head. The future of our world depended on a motley crew that resembled the cast of Gilligan's Island. Hopefully the other vaults were a little better staffed than ours.

"Can I have your attention please?" came a voice from the left. A young woman, roughly a couple years older than me and dressed in a white lab coat, walked into the room holding a clipboard. "I'd like to get started briefing you all on the procedure you are about to take part in. As you probably know by now, this facility is located several miles underground. The effects of the impact will not be felt down here, but living over an extended period of time will prove to be highly difficult. As such, we have decided to place you all in a cryogenic freezing chamber."

I raised an eyebrow at this, listening as some of the others started murmuring in worried tones. Cryogenic freezing? I didn't think we were at such a state that we could achieve it yet. Still, I myself had achieved something nobody had ever dreamed of. If they really had the technology, I wouldn't be too surprised.

"I know this leaves some questions as to your safety, but I assure you that we've taken every precaution to ensure your survival. This facility is powered by a nuclear fusion reactor, one that will be able to sustain itself for several thousand years unmanned. You will be frozen for about one to two thousand years, by which point the atmosphere and surface of the world should be habitable again. Once you emerge, instructions will be issued on how to establish a new settlement. Everything you need is here, including a breeding laboratory for restoring specific farm animals, a stockpile of seeds for various crops, tools, and building materials to get you started. Come, I'll show you around the facility"

About half an hour later, we were in a large circular chamber. Thirteen freezing chambers lined the walls, primed and ready to go. Having slipped into my jumpsuit, I groaned as I looked at the number on my jacket.

"Vault thirteen, chamber thirteen." chuckled Collin. "Looks like you're batting a thousand kid. I'm telling you, that number is the most lucky number I know of."

"If you like it so much, why don't you trade with me?" I muttered.

"Nah, I'm fine with good old four. Besides, I think you can do with some solid luck. You're young and bright. Me…." A sad glint entered his eyes "I'm old and past my days of glory."

"It's time." said one of the guards, motioning us towards the freezing chambers.

Climbing into my chamber, I sat nervously as one of the attendants got me situated, attaching various wires and IV lines to me. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they moved out of the chamber and the glass doors came sliding down. I chanced a glance at Collin, and he gave me the thumbs up. Cracking a smile, I returned the gesture.

See you on the flip side buddy.

Suddenly, a blast of freezing cold air hit me. I barely had time to register it before the world went dark, my mind fading out of existence.

* * *

><p>Darkness wrapped around me like a shroud, the only thing I could hear at first was the steady beating of my heart. Half aware, I began to come to, my senses slowly picking up, my mind beginning to come back to me after what felt like an eternity of dormancy.<p>

"…up….tt"

I felt confused as I heard muffled sounds. It sounded like something was banging on a glass door in front of me, a muffled voice calling me back to the world of the living.

"I…..s…d…..get up!"

Suddenly, the surface in front of me gave way, the gush of wind hitting me like a blast of cold arctic air. I shuddered at the sensation, my body instantly going into a fit of shivering, and I pulled my arms close as I tried to numbly make sense of my surroundings.

"Collin?" I rasped, barely able to even manage something above a whisper.

"Thank god, kid. You gave me quite the scare."

"I can't see anything." I stuttered, fear gripping me. My eyes were open, I could tell they were, but nothing came to me, no light. Just pitch black darkness.

"It'll wear off after an hour." Collin muttered, almost dismissively. "Be glad you had someone to tell you. When I woke up, I had to figure that out on my own. Christ, that was one of the worst hours of my life."

"I take it we made it?" I asked, worried that something had gone wrong.

"Yeah. The two of us made it." He replied, hesitation deep in his voice.

It took me a moment to process what he said.

"…..only two?"

"….yeah."

"What happened?"

"You know how I told you thirteen was my lucky number?"

"Yeah?"

"Apparently it's yours as well. Somehow, the other freezers have stopped working. The computer is dead too. I don't know how it happened, but I managed to wake up on my own. The others… I'd rather not think about the mess I saw. Just be glad you can't see right now. For now, we need to get you warmed up and fed. I've already scouted the area outside, it seems like we're safe for the moment. Come on, I'll take you up there and get a fire started."

I nodded weakly, still too stunned to think clearly. Only two of us survived. One crusty old man, and an engineer. Hopefully the other vaults have had better luck. Otherwise, humanity was screwed. Collin pulled me out of the chamber, and I felt myself leaning on his shoulder weakly as I tried desperately to steady myself.

"Your muscles are pretty weak right now." He stated, shifting me so most of my weight was on him. "Don't worry about leaning on an old man. I'm not so frail that I'll snap under your weight."

I muttered my thanks and I felt myself being carried through the facility.

As we stepped outside, I could feel a warm breeze. The sound of frogs croaking and crickets chirping echoed through what felt like the evening air on a summer night. A wave of relief hit me as I felt myself being lowered to the ground, the sounds of a fire starting up. There was life outside, and there was breathable air. I took a moment to soak it all in as the comfortable warmth of the fire began to seep into my bones, two simple words repeating in my mind.

_I'm alive._

_I'm alive._

_I'm alive._

Finally feeling more control over my body, I extended my senses out. Light was beginning to return to my eyes, but it was still far too dim and blurry to make anything out. Perking my ears, I could hear the sound of a nearby creek, the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. The smell of pine trees filled the air, and I took a moment to let the relaxing sensations wash over me.

Then something occurred to me.

"…..what do you see Collin?" I asked, starting to feel concern wash over me.

"We're in a dense forest. VERY dense." He replied.

"Wasn't this a desert before we went to sleep?"

"Yes. It was."

"…."

"…."

"….how long have we been asleep?" I asked, fears pretty much confirmed. By now, my sight was coming back, and I could make out the shape of the old man in front of me.

Collin sighed, looking up at the night sky, running his hand through his grey matted hair.

"I'm really not sure. Well past the date we were supposed to awaken. That much is for certain. Do you remember the generator they told us about? The one that was supposed to have a nuclear core? It's completely depleted of energy."

"Those things are supposed to last for several thousand years." I whispered, completely in shock.

"Yes, they are."

"So, what do we do now?"

"Like I said, I've done a little scouting. There's a village just outside of the forest."

Instantly, I perked up.

"A village? Here? That means people survived! That's great news!"

"Whoa, hold up there kid. I didn't say that it was populated by humans."

"Wait, what?"

"This is going to be a bit of a shock to you."

"If they aren't human, then what the hell are they?"

"…..ponies."

"Huh?"

"Ponies."


	2. Chapter 2: First Contact

_Chapter 2: First Contact_

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><p>"<em>If they aren't human, then what the hell are they?"<em>

"…_.ponies."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Ponies."_

I stared at Collin, my vision pretty much clear by now. I was expecting him to break out into a smile, to laugh at me and tell me that my expression was priceless, that the absurd thing that he'd just said was just some sort of crazy attempt at humor.

Instead, his face remained calm, a look of pure seriousness in his eyes.

I shook my head in disbelief, refusing to accept such craziness.

"I've seen them." he stated, seeing right through me. "I know it's hard to believe. I damn near wrote it off as some sort of hallucination. But if you want proof that what I'm saying is true, I can show you. Come with me."

He stood up, and I hesitated for a second before following suit.

We worked our way up a hill, the forest clearing as we reached the top. Stopping, Collin gestured in front of him towards a cliff overlooking a valley. Slowly, I walked up towards it.

"Here, take these." He said, pushing a pair of binoculars into my hands. "And whatever you do, stay low to the ground. I don't want them to know we're here just yet, not until we figure out whether they're friendly or not."

I looked into my hands at the binoculars, shaking my head as I mumbled something incoherent. Dropping to the ground, I crawled up to the ledge on my belly, peering over it.

What I saw was shocking to say the very least.

A sleepy little town was spread out before me, nestled in the valley. The buildings were smaller than a typical house, though it looked like they could still accommodate a human, if only just. Many were made of stone and wood in a quaint European design, with what looked like straw-thatched roofs. Some were strangely designed, one looking like a hollowed out tree, another looking like some sort of gingerbread house. A farm lay on the outskirts of the town, the faint scent of apples coming from its direction.

Pulling the binoculars up to my eyes, I peered through them to get a better look. Dirt roads went through the town, some worn from what looked like wagon tracks. Lights flickered in some of the houses, and I could tell that some of the residents were moving along the…

Holy Jesus mother of Christ.

They did indeed look like ponies, though they were much different in proportion from regular ponies. Giant rounded heads with small dainty snouts, their eyes were simply massive. Their manes were styled, much like the hairstyles humans would use. They were tiny, maybe three feet tall at best, some of the adults looking like they were two feet, and the children appearing less than a foot. They came in a wide range of colors, like a tiny sea of rainbows. Even stranger yet, some had horns on their foreheads like unicorns, while others fluttered about in the sky with a set of bird-like wings on their backs.

Watching one a little closer, I noticed it stop in front of another one and start conversing.

By this point my jaw had dropped, and I lowered the binoculars.

"What do you see?" questioned Collin, giving me a curious look.

"The white and purple one is sitting there talking to the orange one wearing a cowboy hat."

"The hell?" muttered Collin, snatching the binoculars away. "How in the name of all that is magical did an orange pony get a hold of…. hell, screw it. At this point I'll believe anything."

"This is really happening, isn't it?" I muttered, still trying to process everything I'd just seen. "It's like planet of the apes, only with freaky deformed horses."

"Well, from what I can tell, they look peaceful enough. I've been making some observations for the last few days while waiting for you to thaw out. So far, they appear to be quite civilized." stated Collin as he set the binoculars down.

"Anyways, that's a topic for another time. I want to get our own situation set up before we go down and try to make contact."

Suddenly, a large grumble filled the air, causing the both of us to jump. Looking at me, Collin smirked.

"Before anything else though, I suppose we should get you fed. Seven thousand years of having no food in your stomach will make anybody hungry."

As if on cue, my stomach rumbled again in agreement. I mumbled under my breath as we made our way back to the vault.

* * *

><p>Two hours and a meal later, the two of us had just finished taking stock of our supplies.<p>

"Looks like most of the food we've been given is beyond useless. We're going to have to do something about that fast." muttered Collin, looking through his list. "Fortunately we have a fresh supply of water just outside. That stream is pretty damn clean too. Never seen water so clear in my life."

"I've looked through our spare parts, I think I can rig up something to generate electricity out of what we have." I stated, looking over a pile of junk that I had amassed. "If I can get enough power to boot up the main computer, we might find some sort of clue as to what happened. More than that, we may be able to find a way to contact one of the other vaults. If they're still around that is."

I paused at that thought, glancing at Collin who had an uneasy look on his face. It mirrored my thoughts exactly. It was highly unlikely they were still around. We had to try though.

"See what you can do with that. If you don't have everything, make a list of what you need before you go to sleep tonight. I'll see if I can get something like it down in the town." stated Collin as he looked back to his list.

I paused, concern welling within me.

"You're not actually thinking of going in there tonight, are you?"

"No, of course not." he stated, shrugging it off. "I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

My jaw hit the ground.

"You're going to just waltz up to their town and say hello?" I asked incredulously. "What if they attack you? What if they want to eat you? How the hell are you going to get out of there?"

Placing his list down, he gave me a stern look. "Look. It's not the best of options, I know. But we need food supplies. I have no idea what is edible in this forest and neither do you. More than that, I get the feeling that they WILL discover us eventually, and most likely sooner than later. Rather than waiting for them to catch us off guard, I'd like to make the first move. As for whether they would like to eat us or not, I'd like to point out that they are not only several times smaller than us, but that they are also just ponies. I highly doubt they eat meat."

"But what if they do decide that you're an enemy?"

"That's the risk I take. Kid, I'm not new at this. I'm the head of Foreign Affairs, remember? I'm used to diplomacy. I've been in far worse situations than this. I know what I'm doing, just trust me."

I grumbled, but relented on the subject. He was right, on all points. Diplomacy was his area of expertise.

"Do you want me to at least go with you?" I asked.

"No. I want you to stay behind this time. I get the feeling these creatures haven't seen human beings before. I'd rather not double the shock by having two of them show up in their town. More importantly, I think you should work on getting the power back up. Once we have a generator up and running, it should greatly improve our situation."

"All right then. But if you aren't back by sunset, I'm going to go in looking for you. I don't want to be the only one left here in this crazy place."

"Actually, I don't want you coming after me."

I stood up, ready to start yelling. He held up a hand dismissively, a calm look in his eye.

"It's not because I don't want to be saved if things go wrong. It's just that I may need a few days, maybe even a week to get through to them. I highly doubt they speak our language, so negotiating will take some time. The last thing I need is for you to come in guns blazing to save me during the middle of our talks. At least give me a week. If I'm not back in seven days, then come and find me."

"Fine." I relented, sitting back down. "I'll have the generator up and running by then. Just remember, if you don't show up by the end of the week, I'm coming after you, diplomacy be damned."

"I fully expect that of you." grinned Collin, returning to his list.

* * *

><p>When morning came, I found myself staring at a pile of spare parts, toolkit in hand. I had a pretty good idea of how I was going to get this running, and most of what I needed had been salvaged from other useless items. Still, it never hurt to be prepared, so I handed Collin a list of parts to pick up if he could find them. With a worried handshake and a wave, he set off down the path towards the town.<p>

That left me to get this damned vault up and running.

Sitting down, a busied myself at repairing the generator. The previous one was an excellent starting point despite its time-worn condition, but I had to make some heavy adjustments to accommodate for the lack of a fusion core. Taking care not to damage anything vital, I stripped out useless connections to areas such as the living room and the several now-vacant rooms that no longer had real use. Rerouting the power, I focused everything into three areas; the Kitchen, the computer console, and the radio tower. Anything else could be added later when I figured out how to generate more electricity.

Hours flew buy as I worked, and before I knew it, the afternoon was here.

Wiping my forehead, I decided it was time to grab something to eat.

As I walked through the vault towards the kitchen, I was struck by how lonely and cold the place seemed. The chairs, once luxurious and comfortable, had deteriorated into such a state of disrepair that they were hardly even recognizable, just as Collin had said they would. Most of the place lay dusty and untouched, the entire facility looking like ancient ruins to a lost civilization that you would see in a movie.

"_That's because they ARE ancient ruins to a lost civilization._" I thought, the impact of everything finally dawning on me. I really was standing in ruins. I was a relic of the past, along with Collin. Everything the two of us knew was gone, taken away by the unrelenting march of time.

I was surprised when I realized that I was crying, tears flowing freely down my cheeks. They flowed uncontrollably, as I sobbed.

"They're gone." I choked, eyes stinging. "They're all gone. Everyone and everything I ever held dear, it's all gone."

I don't know how long I stood there, how long a cried for, but soon enough I found the strength to stop. Yes, it was all gone. Collin and I were the last remnants of an era. That didn't mean it was over.

We were still alive.

As long as we were, I would continue to walk forward. If anything else, I could manage that. And to do that, I had to get this damned generator up and running.

With renewed vigor, I ate lunch and went right back to work.

* * *

><p>As Collin walked down the path, he couldn't help but feel slightly worried. How would the ponies react to seeing him? He had decided to come unarmed. He didn't want to scare them, and having a foreign weapon on him would almost certainly work against his chances of success, especially if he was forced to use it.<p>

Idly, his mind returned back to his wife and daughter, the tearful goodbye they had. He allowed himself a moment to dwell on their faces, the faces that gave him strength and courage to do what had to be done. He missed them dearly, a fact that he tried to hide from Matt while in his presence, always trying to keep up the appearance of a strong leader for the sake of the kid.

He had to admit, he had taken quite a liking to him. He was like the son he never had, brilliant with a bright shining future ahead of him. At the very least, the one good thing that came from this whole mess was that he got to meet the kid.

Voices brought him out of his thoughts, and before he realized it, Collin was standing just at the edge of the forest, a small tree house just several feet away.

Her words were foreign to him, just as he suspected.

"_A future with ponies as the dominate species, I can accept. Ponies that wear cowboy hats, I can live with. Hell, I'll even accept the fact that some of them can fly, and that they can talk. But if I were to hear our own language coming out of their mouths after all this time, I would've had to officially check my ass into the nearest insane asylum." _He mused.

Focusing back on the voice, he simply sat there listening for a moment. The words were spoken in a soft, motherly tone, one that felt calm and reassuring. Peering around a tree, Collin caught sight of its owner.

She was maybe two and a half feet tall with yellow fur and a long pink mane that covered part of her face, with a set of small wings tucked at her sides. Her eyes were kind, filled with concern as she fussed over what appeared to be an injured bird. She spoke softly to it as she carefully wrapped a bandage across its wing, and Collin found himself amazed by her dexterity. He watched on for a minute longer, debating whether to show himself, when his choice was suddenly made for him.

A stern voice came from behind Collin. He nearly jumped out of his skin, turning around at the sound of the voice. The same orange hat-wearing pony from yesterday was staring at him intently, eyeing him suspiciously.

Collin backed up nervously as it walked towards him, his hands held up.

"Whoa there, I mean you no harm."

The orange pony's eyes grew comically large at this, her mouth hanging slightly agape as she stared at him in total shock.

"Me and a friend of mine have recently woken up from a deep sleep. We saw your town and were hoping to make contact, possibly ask for some supplies and assistance. Would you happen to be able to direct me towards the leader of your town?"

She spoke again, in the same strange language, her defensive stance loosening slightly as she peered into Collins eyes cautiously.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I can't understand a word you are saying." said Collin, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

Suddenly, a loud shriek came from behind them causing Collin to turn back. The yellow pony was staring in fear at him, a nervous look on her face as she darted towards the house, slamming the door.

The orange pony shook her head as she walked just past Collin, who was staring at the door in confusion.

"Did I… do something wrong?" he muttered to himself, uncertainly.

The orange pony said something to him, giving an apologetic look.

Suddenly, someone else shouted from above.

Collin never had a chance to react as something that looked like a rainbow came out of the sky and plowed into his side, throwing him across the field and into a tree. He never got a chance to hear the voice of the orange pony who was calling out in concern, eyes wide at what had just happened. He never even got a chance to hear the rainbow colored creature as it looked down in confusion at his unconscious form.

* * *

><p>Applejack stood perplexed as she looked down at the unconscious creature before her, Rainbow Dash standing over him flexing proudly. Shaking her head, she rounded on Rainbow Dash.<p>

"What the hay was that fer?" she shouted, "The poor thing was tryin' to talk to me, looked like he needed a helpin' hoof with somethin'!"

"What?" retorted Dash, getting defensive. "I heard Fluttershy screaming in the distance. I came to see what was going on and saw this creep standing behind you, so I took him down before he could hurt you!"

"He wasn't hurtin' nobody Dash, and you of all people know how skittish Fluttershy can be!"

"Well excuse me for trying to protect my friends!"

"Ah didn't need protection!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Excuse me…" came a timid voice.

"WHAT!" shouted Dash and Applejack, rounding on Fluttershy. She squeaked as she backed up.

"Um… well… the creature looks like he's a little….hurt." she muttered, voice timid and barely audible.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other, and then down at the creature.

"Whoa, uh… is he going to be okay?" muttered Dash, a tint of nervousness in her voice.

"Ah don't know. Fluttershy, do ya think you can help him?" questioned Applejack, clearly concerned.

"I… think he'll be fine, I'll see what I can do for him."

"Great. Dash, why don't you go fly into town and grab Twilight? She may be able to help us with this. When it spoke to me, it was using some weird language I couldn't recognize. She might be able to help with that."

"That thing can speak?" yelled Dash, clearly amazed.

"Yes Dash, it can." replied Applejack, rolling her eyes. "I was trying to talk to it before ya came hurtlin' through the sky like a maniac."

"That's so cool!"

"Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah?"

"Git goin' before ah buck your winged butt back to Ponyville."

"Err… right."

Watching her fly off towards town, Applejack muttered under her breath. Turning back towards Fluttershy, she smiled as she watched her begin to tend to the downed creature as if it were one of the regular animals.

"Fluttershy, yer just to kind for words to describe." She muttered to herself. Trotting forward, she began to lend a hoof.


	3. Chapter 3: Of Fillies and Men

Chapter Three: Of Fillies and Men

* * *

><p>I held my breath as I muttered a prayer to any deity that was listening from above me, my hand resting on the lever in front of me. Crossing my fingers, I threw the switch and the generator sprang to life, the lights in the room flickering on for the first time in god knows how long. Letting out a whoop of if joy, I turned around to admire my work.<p>

Then the damned thing started sparking, and in a panicked frenzy I dove for the switch, shutting off the power.

I sat there for a moment to catch my breath before I let loose a string of curses that would make the toughest sailor in the world blush in embarrassment. This was starting to get really frustrating.

"What the hell went wrong this time?" I muttered to no one in particular, running a greasy hand through my hair for what had to be the hundredth time since I had started this project. Opening the control console, I began to examine the connections and fuses.

After another half hour of fussing about, I finally flung my tools across the room in a fit of anger. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I've always had access to power, trying to generate it from nothing was something entirely new to me. Getting an electrical charge was not really too much of a problem. Holding it and focusing it was where the real trouble was coming up.

Idly I thought about how amazing it was that we even had something like this in the past, that we were even capable of figuring out how to harness it on the scale that was achieved during our own era. I had always taken it for granted, written it off as something so simple and basic. Now that I was trying to do it myself, I realized how lucky we really were.

Deciding that I needed a break to clear my head, I walked out of the generator room and into the living room. After my little breakdown the day before, I had decided to start cleaning up the vault a little bit, getting all the dirt and dust out as well as rigging up some temporary furnishings. Having removed the broken chairs and repurposing what was left into a couple tacky looking cushions, I flopped down on one of them and let loose a frustrated sigh. This was going to take a little longer to sort out.

After sitting down for half an hour, I began to get bored. I needed to get some fresh air, all this dark gloominess was beginning to get on my nerves.

Standing up, I walked over towards the storage room. An armory was there in the back corner, several dangerous looking weapons racked up from a simple combat knife to a…

Is that a freaking bazooka? Why the hell would they think we needed a… never mind.

As much as I was tempted to try it out, I opted for the combat knife and a simple flare gun. Collin had warned me about taking anything too lethal out of the vault for the moment, something about not wanting to scare any of the locals. I never cared much for guns to begin with, though I was a little hesitant about going into the forest without something with a little more kick. Regardless, I didn't really think there was anything too dangerous waiting for me out there.

Rummaging through a few more drawers, I came across a small survival pack with some first aid items and a compass. Deciding not to take chances, I pulled it out and strapped it on.

Stepping outside, I stretched and took in a breath of fresh air, the afternoon sun soaking into my skin. They sky was clear once again, the birds chirping happily away as if talking amongst themselves. Checking my compass, I noted the direction of the vault and then proceeded down a dusty path into the forest.

* * *

><p>Twilight Sparkle looked down at the creature before her, barely able to contain her excitement at the prospects of talking with such an odd being. Several books lay strewn about the room, containing every language book she could think of grabbing in her library from Ancient Equestrian to Bufaloosian, Hooverspeak, and Chickenese. She had even found a few books on Griffinian and Dragon Tongue, though she admitted that the likelihood that any of these books would help sort out whatever language this creature was speaking was fairly low.<p>

To that end, she had sent a letter to Princess Celestia. Being immortal and having lived for a few thousand years, she was bound to know what language the creature spoke. Until she replied, however, it was a challenge that Twilight was more than willing to take up.

There was just the little problem of the creature still remaining unconscious.

She looked on as Fluttershy worked carefully around the ribs, muttering worriedly about a couple of bruised areas on and how they felt cracked. The lump on the creature's head also looked fairly painful, and while Twilight was unfamiliar with what these creatures normally looked like, she was fairly certain that this one was fairly high up there in age. She made a mental note to scold Rainbow Dash later about acting before understanding the situation. Hopefully, no permanent damage had been done.

The creature suddenly began to stir, letting a out a low groan as it winced in pain, and butterflies welled up inside Twilight's stomach, her sharp mind focusing back to the task at hand.

* * *

><p>As I walked through the forest, I found myself amazed at just how much the area had changed. The last time I had come through this place it was a barren desert, void of most life. To me, it had been just been a few days ago, though in reality it was far, far longer than that. Really, it felt like I was no longer on Earth, that the world I had always known was no longer here.<p>

And yet, at the same time, it felt so familiar. There were trees that I still recognized, plants that looked similar to ones from my days. The air was certainly much cleaner than I was used to, but it wasn't like that was a bad thing. As far as wildlife went, there was nothing strange or out of the ordinary thus far except for the ponies. There were birds that looked like the ones I used to watch back at home, squirrels running up and down trees, rabbits hopping about, giant creatures that looked like Frankenstein monsters….

Wait, what?

I froze, seeing the thing in front of me sleeping in plain sight. The creature was like some sort of horrific movie monster, having parts from different animals pieced together. Its tail was a snake's head, its head shaped like a lion, its _other_ head was a freaking goat, it had clawed sharp claws and powerful looking legs. Long, sharp teeth lined its tiger mouth, and as it breathed slowly, I could swear I could see tiny flames coming out of the mouth of the goat head.

It took a moment for me to process the sight completely, my stomach trying to practically wrench itself out of my body and flee from the sight. Sweat beads started to form on my forehead as adrenaline kicked into overdrive, my heart racing like a crack-infused chimpanzee on a sugar high.

Just like home my ass. Why the hell didn't I break that freaking bazooka with me?

Making damn sure not to make any noise, I slowly backed up, watching my footing for any cliché twigs to give me up, nerves on edge as I worked my way backwards to safety. Once I was far enough away, I turned around and bolted.

Suddenly, I heard a tiny cry from underneath me, a soft object catching my left leg and sending me tumbling head over heels into the dirt.

Looking back, I froze to see three wide-eyed… fillies… looking at me, one of them on the ground looking a little dazed. They were tiny, likely the equivalent of children. The one I had tripped over was light yellow with a red mane and an impossibly large ribbon. She seemed to regain her senses and stared at me, eyes widening with a look of fear. The other two had the same look on their faces, one colored white with a wavy purple and pink mane, sporting a unicorn horn, while the other had a short cropped magenta mane with a light-brown coat and a tiny set of wings. Time seemed to freeze as we just stared at each other, neither side moving or blinking.

"Err… hi there." I muttered.

They screamed in unison, a cute high-pitched squeal, their tiny legs flailing about as they ran in circles bumping into each other. After a second, they seemed to regain just enough sense and bolted off into the distance.

I blinked, still processing what happened, when I came to a sudden realization.

They had gone the direction I just came from. Towards the dangerous looking lion…goat…thing.

I hesitated for just a moment, weighing my options. Should I chase after them? While I'd been in a couple of fights during my life, it was never anything dangerous like this. I had no idea if I could overpower a hungry monster equipped as I was.

I turned away, looking the opposite direction, but those cute eyes popped in my head. They were just kids. While I wasn't certain I could beat that thing, I was 100% sure that they wouldn't stand a chance.

Looking back towards the direction they left, I cursed under my breath.

* * *

><p>Collin woke up with a screaming headache and a side that burned like fire. He groaned inwardly, mentally berating himself for not paying closer attention to his surroundings. He cringed as he attempted to sit up, realizing that a few of his ribs were probably cracked.<p>

"Damn, I'm too old for this." He muttered, wincing.

Looking down at his body, he noticed that his shirt was off and that he had been bandaged.

"_That's a good sign." _He thought, taking note that the bandages were applied quite well. _"If they bandaged me, it means they were concerned enough to not leave me out there to die. Maybe I can salvage this after all."_

A voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked up in front of him to see a purple pony staring at him. This one had a black mane with a purple and pink stripe running down the middle. A horn adorned her head, and her eyes seemed to radiate with intelligence. Several books lay strewn about, and Collin had a suspicion that they were all related to the language barrier issue that they were currently having.

"_A fellow scholar, huh?" _he mused to himself, a wide smile breaking out on his face. The pony seemed to catch on, her smile widening as well.

For the next hour and a half they tried to converse, trying different languages in an attempt to find some sort of common ground. During this time, he had learned the names of the ponies in the room. The shy one with the pink mane and wings was very fittingly called Fluttershy. The orange cowpony was called Applejack, which instantly made Collin associate her with the farm they had spotted the other day. The purple unicorn was named Twilight Sparkle.

Another odd thing that Collin discovered was that Twilight could lift things with the use of her horn through something that he could only describe as telekinesis. This had nearly caused him to fall out of his bed in surprise, startling poor Fluttershy so bad that it took Applejack half an hour to coax her down from the chandelier.

As the day wore on and the languages ran out, they had decided to switch to simply drawing pictures on paper with a feather pen. This turned out to be the most effective method, and soon he had a fairly good grasp of the situation.

Collin smiled in amusement as Twilight continued drawing a picture of a rather large pony with wings and a horn. Perhaps things would turn out alright after all.

* * *

><p>Things were not going well for me at all. After chasing the little fillies and shouting warnings as to what lay sleeping ahead, I had come into the clearing to find a very awake and very pissed off creature staring at the lot of us. The little fillies were whimpering in fear, backing up towards me. I cursed under my breath as the thing suddenly sprang into action.<p>

Two of the fillies darted away as it charged, but the one with the red mane froze up, a look of pure terror on her face. Charging forward, I snatched the poor thing up just as the monster pounced, and I quickly found myself staring right at its outstretched claws.

Rather than stopping or trying to change directions, I dove forward, rolling as I hit the ground. The creature soared overhead, landing where I had been just moments ago with a loud thud.

Spinning, I cried out in surprise as I saw the snake tail rearing up to strike me. Pushing hard to the left, I narrowly avoided it as it shot just past me.

Drawing my knife, I took a swipe at the snake's outstretched neck, leaving a gash on its neck.

The monster roared in pain, jumping back as it looked at my face with pure bestial rage in its eyes. Fire poured out of the goat's mouth, and I danced back as flames engulfed the area I had just moments been standing, the little pony in my arms cringing in fear and letting out a whimper.

The creature suddenly charged again, claws lashing out. One swipe was directed at my face. I ducked and pivoted away, trying to regain my balance. Suddenly the other swipe came from the opposite direction, aimed at the filly in my arms. She squeaked in surprise.

I spun myself around, taking the full force of the strike to my back and gasped in pain as I felt the claws tearing into my skin.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself forward and tumbled on the ground, rolling back onto my feet, scrambling to facie the creature. It growled menacingly as it stalked towards me.

Pulling out my flare gun, I waited for it to charge again, dropping the filly and allowing her to scamper away to safety. The creature roared in anger as it charged towards me.

I fired off the first flare right at its face.

The thing cried out in surprise, it's ears going back as it ground to a halt, it's feet almost comically flailing about to gain traction. The flare smacked it right in the face, knocking its head back slightly from the force of the blow and dazing the beast.

"That's right you freaking bastard!" I roared, making myself look as menacing as possible. "This… is… my… BOOMSTICK!"

I fired it again, and this time the creature took off, running into a tree before it faded off into the forest.

Taking several deep breaths, I noticed my hands were trembling. My knees suddenly felt weak and I dropped to the ground, the adrenaline of the moment starting to wear off.

"_Holyshitholyshitholyshit" _was all that was running through my mind.

Putting the flare gun away, I took a few calming breaths. My back was burning with pain, a wet sticky sensation dripping down my back. I was bleeding. Badly.

Turning back towards where I last saw the filly run, I checked to make sure they were alright and was met by three wide-eyed, slightly shaken faces. I did my best to smile at them, straining through the pain.

Suddenly, from out of the woods behind them, a Zebra with gold rings around its neck walked into the clearing. The fillies turned their heads in a startled panic towards the newcomer, causing me to tense up defensively.

They seemed to recognize the newcomer though, because they instantly relaxed as it spoke to them in some sort of strange language. They started frantically talking back, sobbing and crying as they seemed to be describing what had just happened. The zebra made some hushing sounds, trying to calm them down in a soothing voice.

Then it looked at me.

I shook my head, suddenly feeling dizzy. A sickeningly sweet aroma was wafting into my nose, and I realized too late that the Zebra was holding some sort of bag out towards me, a shimmering powder blowing through the wind into my face. I tried to retaliate, reaching for my flare gun again, but my body had become numb and I found my muscles relaxing against my will.

The zebra walked over to me, speaking something with a calm look on its face, but it was no use. I felt the world swirl around me as I collapsed, falling to the ground face first. I tried one last time to stand up, only managing to lift my head a few inches up, just enough to look up into the zebra's eyes. I glared at it, and then my body collapsed.

* * *

><p>Twilight frowned as she looked at the series of drawings in front of her. Behind her, the creature now known as Collin was snoring lightly, having exhausted himself over the course of the day. There was no longer any doubt in her mind that he meant no harm, but the story he had communicated with her had her puzzled.<p>

The first was a drawing of a round planet named Earth, which she found kind of odd. Why would it be named after dirt? She assumed it was supposed to be Equestria. He had drawn two fireballs, comets if she had to venture a guess. From the way they were drawn, she could easily guess that one of them hit his homeland. The next picture showed a crude depiction of him and a few others like him going into some sort of chamber and sleeping. Did he mean to say that they actually slept through this event? How was that even possible?

What concerned her the most, however, was the next picture. It showed him and one other emerging from the building. This meant there was another like him somewhere in that forest.

While she didn't think Collin meant them any harm, she wasn't sure about the other one. Not being sure made her nervous.

There was another thing that bothered her. Collin had described in his pictures a comet strike. The last known comet to strike Equestria had happened somewhere around seven thousand years ago. If what he was trying to tell her was what she think it was, that would mean that they had slept for over seven thousand years.

That was simply unbelievable.

Twilight shook her head. Perhaps that wasn't exactly the right term for her to use. Ever since she'd come to Ponyville, she had seen some pretty strange things. Moreover, she knew of two beings that had experienced something similar on a smaller scale. The problem with that was in both cases, they involved Princess Celestia.

So once again, understanding the situation really came down to one thing. She needed to get consultation from her dear mentor.

Collin muttered in his sleep, turning to the side as he rubbed is nose and went back into a light snore. Twilight giggled, amused at the strange creature. What had it called itself? Ah yes, a human.

Humans were strange creatures indeed.

* * *

><p>Hey all, how's it going? I'd like to thank those of you for your reviews so far, it's very rewarding to know you folks are enjoying this story. I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, I'll be working hard to keep things interesting. Again, thanks for the reviews, see you all next time, same pony time, same pony channel.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: Negotiations

Chapter Four: Negotiations

* * *

><p>Princess Luna yawned sleepily as she watched her older sister read the letter over for what had to be the twentieth time, her eyebrows creased in worry.<p>

"You can read it as many times as you wish Tia," mumbled Luna, stretching. "I doubt the contents will suddenly rearrange themselves into something different. What has got you so bothered anyways? You are usually in such a joyous mood when reading a letter from your student."

Princess Celestia paused, looking up at her younger sister. One look at the distraught expression on her face snapped Luna out of her sleepy state, concern welling within her.

"Has some disaster befallen our friends down in Ponyville?" she asked, voice filled with alarm.

Celestia paused, a hesitant look on her face as she seemed to contemplate her next words very carefully.

"Not exactly." She said, looking back down at the letter. "At least, not yet. But the situation down there is cause for concern. What do you make of this, little sister?"

She handed the letter over to Luna who looked over the contents. As she had figured out by now, it did not contain Twilight's usual heartwarming report on her lessons in friendship. Apparently, some sort of creature had been discovered near the town. Luna quirked an eyebrow as she read the description.

"What kind of creature is this, Tia? I've never heard of anything like it before."

Celestia looked out the window into the night sky, an unreadable expression on her face as she admired Luna's work. Several moments passed before she turned back to her sister, a solemn look on her face.

"It is a creature called a human." She stated. "They are a strange race from ancient times, one that used to rule over the planet. I won't go into how I know of them Luna, but I will say this. They are unpredictable. Some can have a heart of gold, just like anypony else. Others?" she shook her head, sadness in her eyes. "Let's just say they make Nightmare Moon look like Fluttershy."

Luna froze, the unpleasant name of her alter ego bringing back painful memories. There was something so bad that it put that raging nightmare to shame? What kind of disaster could something like that wreck on Equestria?

Celestia turned, trotting towards the balcony.

"What are we going to do, Tia?" whispered Luna, still in shock.

"I wish to confirm its intentions." She said, spreading her wings in the moonlight. "I will head down into Ponyville to speak with it. It's highly possible that it doesn't intend any harm. While I'm out, I would like to ask that you take over the royal duties in my stead."

"Of course Tia." said Luna, trotting up to her sister. "I'm assuming that the purpose of your visit is to surprise your student?"

She was smiling slyly, and Celestia grinned mischievously.

"Of course, little sister. It has nothing to do with strange ancient creatures showing up that may or may not threaten our way of life."

"That's what I'll tell the court then. Good luck Tia."

Celestia nodded, her wings spreading out as she pushed off the platform. Luna watched as she disappeared into the night, a look of concern on her face.

"_Be safe big sister."_

* * *

><p>I woke up slowly, my body feeling numb and heavy. My head felt like it was in a heavy fog, my eyes bleary and unable to focus. Some sort of strange aroma was wafting through the air, something that reminded me of a shaman's tent. Straining, I tried to listen in on my surroundings.<p>

I could hear voices, but couldn't make them out. The sounds were muffled, my head spinning far too much for me to really focus on them. I could kind of feel something touching my back, a cool sensation mixed with a slight sting, but they were far too dulled for me to make out what was going on.

Suddenly, I became aware that there was something in front of me. Someone. It spoke in a strange voice, its tone soothing and calm. The aroma increased, and I realized some sort of powder was being sprinkled in my face. The effect was immediate, my body relaxing instantaneous, my senses fading out as I slipped back into unconsciousness.

When I next awoke, I could hear a little better, see things somewhat clearer. That cool sensation on my back was still there, but the stinging feeling seemed to be more acute this time. I winced, realizing that something was touching my back.

Instantly my memories reminded me of my injury from earlier, the claws that had ripped into me from behind.

Whatever was touching me was doing something to those wounds. I winced again as I felt something cold being rubbed into the torn tissue. Something was trying to patch me up. Whatever it was, it was trying to help me.

Turning my head slightly to the left, I let out a low groan. I tried to look at whatever was helping me, but I couldn't muster the strength to move my head far enough. Instead, I decided to take in my surroundings.

I was in a strange looking room of some sort, odd decorations all around that kind of reminded me of African culture. There were strange masks on the walls in the shape of horses. Various bottles were placed about, some sitting on shelves, others hanging from the ceiling. Candles flickered around the room, casting soft shadows on the walls, and in the middle of the room there was a large cauldron that bubbled with a pinkish liquid that practically seemed to glow.

Suddenly, three concerned sets of eyes came into view.

They were the fillies that I had rescued earlier. They looked me right in the eyes, the one with the red mane trying to hold back tears. The person behind me whispered something soothing to them, and they left the room, the red one pausing to give one last glance at me before leaving the room.

The one behind me stopped working on my back, walking forward with a bag in its mouth. I recognized it as that zebra from earlier almost immediately, understanding what was about to happen again.

The zebra looked into my eyes, its gaze calm and reassuring. I returned the stare for what seemed like an eternity, weighing my decision. Finally, I relented. I nodded consent, and that same aroma wafted into my nose again, unconsciousness starting to take hold. This time I simply let it take me, knowing full well that I would be fine.

* * *

><p>Zecora felt a small twinge of relief as the creature nodded its head in consent. Even if it was only a little, she had gained the being's trust. Sprinkling the dust in its face, she waited for it to slip back into a state of unconsciousness before returning to work.<p>

The claw marks on its back were deep, but manageable. She had succeeded in stopping the bleeding, and was right now in the process of cleaning the wounds and applying some herbal medicines to help the healing process along. After that was done, she would just need to stitch them up and let the medicine do the rest.

As she worked, her mind went back a few hours ago. She'd been on her way back to her hut when she had heard the fillies screaming, the sounds of the manticore echoing through the trees. She had rushed to the scene just in time to see this creature do… something… to it. The strange device it held had shot fire at it, but had not harmed it. As the manticore fled and the creature collapsed, she had stepped out into the clearing.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had come running up to her, crying as they tried to tell her what happened, but too upset to be able to give her a clear picture. All she could really tell was that this creature had saved them, and had shielded Applebloom from danger. That had really been all the convincing Zecora had needed.

As she looked at the creature now, though, she wondered just what it was and what it was doing out here. The Everfree was a dangerous place filled with many odd creatures, and finding an unknown being was not unheard of, but this particular creature was intelligent, way above the primal beasts that roamed the forest. When she had stared into its eyes, it felt like staring into the eyes of another pony. It was most intriguing.

Shaking her head, Zecora set her thoughts aside. There would be plenty of time later to figure this puzzle out. For now, she needed to finish stitching it up.

The answers would come in time.

* * *

><p>Collin's mouth hung wide as he stared at the beautiful creature in front of him, an expression that was almost mirrored by everyone in the room save for Twilight. She, oddly enough, had a look of delight over her face, as if she were seeing a relative of some sort for the first time in months.<p>

The pony was huge, about the size of a real horse, though it was sleek and slender. Her hair was multicolored, waving like it was in a breeze, though the air in the room was fairly still. Her white body seemed to glow slightly, almost as if she were emitting her own light, a tattoo of the sun shining brightly on her flank. Beautiful golden jewelry adorned her body and hooves, lit up and shining from the unnatural glow she was emitting. Majestic wings were tucked at her side, much large than the ones that Fluttershy had, and long sleek horn adorned her forehead, much more magnificent than the short rounded one sitting on Twilight's forehead.

What caught his eye more than anything else, however, was the sparkling golden crown on her head.

He was dealing with royalty.

Instincts kicked in immediately, born from years of working in diplomacy. Collin did his best to bow from his sitting position in the bed, wincing as his ribs protested.

"There is no need for you to bow to me my dear." said the beautiful creature in a serene voice. "I would not have you injure yourself further on my account."

Collin's jaw dropped, his eyes widening. It had just spoken to him. In completely fluent English. The creature gave him a curious look, a slight hint of amusement on her face

"Forgive me, my lady." he said, quickly recovering from the shock and jumping right back into diplomacy mode. "I am just surprised to hear my own tongue spoken by someone in these lands."

"There is nothing to forgive, my friend. Twilight has told me of your arrival, but not of your name. May I have it?"

"My name is Collin Reeves. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. May I ask yours?"

"I am Princess Celestia, co-ruler of these lands. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Reeves."

"Please, just call me Collin." He said, smirking. "Mr. Reeves just makes me realize how old I am."

Princess Celestia laughed, smiling at him.

"Very well Collin. Likewise, you may simply call me Celestia when we are not in company of somepony from outside of this room . I am not one to fuss over titles."

By this time, the other ponies had recovered from the shock of seeing the two converse. Twilight asked something of Celestia, her eyes wide with excitement. Celestia responded, laughing as Twilight's eyes grew wide in wonder. Turning back to Collin, she addressed him.

"Now that we've introduced ourselves, I would like to get down to business. It has been long since a human has graced Equestria with their presence. Would you mind telling me how it is that you have come here?"

"Certainly. You may want to make yourself comfortable though. The explanation is fairly long."

With that, Collin launched into his explanation, recalling the details as best as he could, Princess Celestia listening with a serene, yet unreadable gaze. He frowned inwardly as he recounted the story, finding her lack of reaction unnatural. Had he told this story to someone else in her position, he would be greeted with either wide-eyed wonder or complete skepticism.

It was almost as if she'd heard this story before.

She knew something. There was no doubt about it in Collin's mind. She knew something about what happened, and he was bound and determined to find out what it was and how she knew it.

* * *

><p>I woke up once again to the familiar sight of the strange room, this time fully awake and fully aware of my surroundings. My wound ached and throbbed, the pain having arrived in full along with my senses, but I shoved it aside as I sat up, curious as to where I was exactly.<p>

Looking around the room once again, I made note that it really did look like a witch doctor's hut. The bottles contained all sorts of different things ranging from herbs to glowing liquids, the masks lining the walls looking very African in design. One thing I hadn't noticed before was the add shapes and angles of the walls, made completely of wood with the occasional vine or two. It was like I was sitting inside a hollowed-out tree.

That calm voice came from behind me again, the one I had associated with the Zebra, and I turned towards it, noticing a plate of food in its mouth. She (or he, I couldn't really tell at this point) placed it down on the table besides the bed, looking into my eyes before it said something again.

"Sorry, I have no clue what you just said." I muttered, shaking my head.

Its eyes widened, that calm expression disappearing for the first time since I'd met it. I almost smirked at the satisfaction of wiping that infuriating look off its face, but decided at the last second that it would be better to mind my manners for the moment. It had just saved my life after all.

Instead, I simply pointed to myself.

"Mathew Kane."

It looked at me, instantly understanding the introduction. It repeated my name, stumbling over some of the syllables. I repeated my name a few times until it grasped the pronunciation well enough to satisfy me. It smiled, repeating my name one last time.

"Mathew Kane." It stated, a friendly look in its eye. Gesturing its hoof towards itself, it spoke its name.

"Zecora."

After a few tries of my own, I mastered the name and shook its hoof, surprised when it seemed to understand the greeting.

Three shouts came from behind me suddenly, and I found the three little fillies jumping up on the bed talking excitedly.

"Applebloom!"

"Scootaloo!"

"Sweetiebell!"

The talked extremely fast, jumping up and down as they went on, and I found myself reeling under their barrage of words, the onset of a headache forming as things progressed. I shot a look of desperation at Zecora, who chuckled to herself (at this point I had decided it was a she) before she jumped in to rescue me from their onslaught. She said something to them, their eyes going wide in wonder, and they looked at me in stunned silence.

Then they started to talk even faster.

I slapped my head in frustration, Zecora now sporting a look of pure unabashed amusement at the scene.

This was going to be a very long night indeed.

* * *

><p>Collin frowned, completely unhappy with how things were progressing. Celestia had proven herself quite the opponent despite her appearance. He had tried to get her to slip, to find some sort of hint as to how she knew so much about the human race, but she seemed to dodge and deflect his attempts at every turn. The more she did this, the less he felt he could trust her.<p>

Moreover, he was completely at her mercy as to what was going to happen.

"So Collin," said Celestia, her serene voice shaking him out of his thoughts. "That was quite the tale. It appears that you and your friend have been through quite a lot. What is it that you plan to do now?"

Collin shifted uncomfortably. This was it. What he said here would determine his fate. Gathering his thoughts, he steeled himself.

"We are currently working on fixing up the vault. There are some mysteries we are trying to solve as to what happened to make our slumber so long. In the meantime, we would like to try to establish relations with the town. We find ourselves in need of food supplies, and establishing some sort of agreement with the town would really help us out. We are willing to work for our food, and we have talents that may be of use to your people."

"Interesting." said Celestia, not once breaking her poker face. "Well, I'm sure we can work something out with the town. My little ponies are very kind, especially here in Ponyville. I will leave the details to Twilight for establishing some sort of agreement on obtaining supplies. As for your housing arrangements, I would rather have you relocated into the town."

"While I appreciate the gesture, we should be fully capable of living on our…"

"I insist." stated Celestia, a stern look in her eyes. "There are many dangerous things in the Everfree Forest. I have no problem with you traveling there to work during the daytime, but I want to have you return to the village every night before sundown. Moreover, I want to have our language issue resolved as soon as possible. Living within the town will help you to overcome that barrier much faster than hiding away in the forest will. I shall have Twilight teach you our language while you are here. As long as you behave yourselves, you will be welcome to stay for as long as you desire."

Collin nodded slowly, not thrilled by the stipulations but unable to argue. She had pretty much laid down the law. He was going to have to accept her offer as it is, with no wiggle room.

"_Could be worse." _He thought, shrugging his shoulders in surrender. _"They could've decided to house us in their dungeons. They may be doing pretty much the same thing, but at least there won't be chains and concrete walls involved."_

"I thank you for your generosity, my lady." stated Collin, bowing his head. "If there is anything we can do to repay your kindness, please do not hesitate to ask."

"There is one more thing I would like to ask of you before you are relocated." said Celestia. "I would like to meet with your friend and speak with him. He sounds like a fascinating person, and I would like to get to know a little more about him so we may decide where to place him."

"_You mean you want to know if he's a threat or not."_ thought Collin, scoffing inwardly.

"Certainly. I would be glad to introduce the two of you. Perhaps tomorrow morning we could set out to meet with him?"

"Do you think you will be alright? I don't want you harming yourself further on my account." said Celestia, eying his bandages.

"Nonsense." stated Collin, puffing his chest out and furiously ignoring the pain that accompanied the movement. "I am not so old and frail that I would snap under my own weight."


End file.
